At a time when the issue of access to health care remains crucial in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the debate around the project to build a hospital reserved for national deputies in Kinshasa is raising strong reactions and the most legitimate questions. This initiative, considered an act of contempt for the Congolese people by several voices within civil society, raises legitimate questions about public health priorities in the country.
The remarks of the president of the African Association for the Defense of Human Rights (Asadho), Jean-Claude Katende, reveal a deep concern about social justice and equity in access to health services. Indeed, the fact that representatives of the people benefit from privileged treatment in terms of health care, to the detriment of the population as a whole, raises legitimate concerns about the authorities’ willingness to guarantee quality public health for all citizens.
The idea put forward by Jean-Claude Katende that national deputies should be required to use the services of public hospitals in order to stimulate the improvement of the health system as a whole is relevant. Indeed, by opting for public health facilities, parliamentarians are better able to measure the gaps in the system and act accordingly to fill them, rather than retreating to privileged health centers.
It is undeniable that the state of public hospitals in the DRC requires special attention and significant investment. National deputies, as representatives of the people, have the moral and political duty to ensure that health services in the Democratic Republic of Congo are accessible, efficient and of quality for the entire population. In this sense, the idea of building a hospital reserved exclusively for national deputies appears to be a measure contradictory to the objective of guaranteeing equitable and accessible health care for all.
Beyond the issue of building a hospital for national deputies, the entire public health policy in the DRC is being challenged. It is imperative to place the health of citizens at the heart of government priorities, by investing in improving health infrastructure, training medical personnel and implementing effective prevention policies. National deputies, as representatives of the people, have an essential role to play in promoting a fairer and more equitable health system for all Congolese.